1. Field
This disclosure relates to a micromanipulator, more particularly to a multi-selective micromanipulator capable of controlling the motion of a main mover using a single actuator to linearly move a plurality of submovers selectively.
2. Description of the Related Art
A living organism consists of numerous nerve cells, which mediate transmission of information. The transmission of information between the nerve cells is achieved by sending and receiving of electrical signals. That is, the nerve cells transmit information to other nerve cells by means of specific electrical signals. This also means that the nerve cells are sensitive to external electrical stimulations.
Electrophysiology is the discipline that studies the relationship between living organisms and electricity. In other words, electrophysiology involves the study of the effect of electricity on living organisms and the electrical phenomena occurring in living organisms. Electrophysiology is making rapid progress with the development of electronic engineering, implantation of electrodes into living organisms, or the like.
Usually, small animals such as mouse are used in experiments to investigate the relationship between nerve cells and electricity. A micromanipulator is used to approach an electrode, which detects electrical signals from the nerve cells of a subject or applies electrical signals to the nerve cells, to the nerve cells.
FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an experimental apparatus used to investigate the relationship between brain nerve cells of a mouse subject and electricity. On the head of a mouse, a micromanipulator 1 which inserts an electrode into the subject is connected to analyze electrical signals from the brain. The micromanipulator 1 is connected to an external signal processor 2. The external signal processor 2 is composed of a controller which controls the motion of the micromanipulator 1, a signal processor which converts an electrical signal from the brain nerve cell into a digital signal and analyzes it, or the like.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, since the micromanipulator 1 is directly fixed to the body of the subject, it needs to have a small size so as not to constrain the motion of the subject. Accordingly, in a micromanipulator module, it is usual to use one actuator to move one electrode.
However, it may be needed to insert a plurality of electrodes at a test site of the subject. In this case, a plurality of micromanipulator modules as many as the electrodes are required to control the motion of the inserted electrodes.
But, since the area of the implanted site is limited, it is difficult to insert a plurality of electrodes at the implanted site when a plurality of micromanipulator modules are used. In addition, as the number of the modules increases, so does the number of actuators to move the electrodes, sensors, or the like. Therefore, to use a plurality of micromanipulators is inefficient in several aspects, including the weight of the apparatus, control, or the like.